Laundry checking device



March 15,1927.

E. LANE LAUNDRY CHECKING DEVICE;

Filed April 24, 1925 INVENTOR Edwin Lune mi @MLM Patented Mar. 1927.

iifibwi-imminn-or'nEw'YonK, N. Y.,'AssIe1von T magm awmygorfafiw 326113, N. -Y., a-eonronerron' or new YORK.

time? (m -Kim dametomer tob'e re-collected. The invention is not'limitedin utility, but may beein'ployed wherever conditions are suitable. Brief eX planation "hereafter of itsuse inylaundry fsy'stemsfissuflicient t'o enabl'eiits adaptability 'tofoth'er uses to'be understood.

Thejg'e'rie'ral objectis top'rovide a marker ofekceedihgly simple form, and which may i pro ed means-for quick and easy attachin ent to a "fabric, without injury to "the fabric, and which also admits ii'fzisydeta'chme'rit, together with a "fcli'ek designed 'to' coo 'jerate with a similarly configurat'ed "key in assorting the I finished wash, this check being suitablyconnectedtothe marker.

A more particular object is to zavoid disadyantages 'orfdef ects er fprevio'us ,"che'cks are provided with rssr r devices the "form, substantially, of safety "pins, hese. pins -are looselyfc'onnected "to the "checks, which therfore hang free from 'thefabri'c'andcause 'inter t-angling of checks,

interference with "laundry appara s, and

other difficulties well known to laundrymen.

Such ditliultie s I overcome by makiiig the 'inarker and check devices and the attachment devices, preferred forms'of the in vention, actually in substantially integral, or at least rigidly connected. 7 I

Another-particular object is to provide a suitable check device, tocooperate with the usual key, in combination with a known form of marker, consisting of flexibly-connected opposed jaws provided with fabric grips, andadapted for operation'by a special tool, or a machine, in applying the marker to and removing it from laundry pieces.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufficiently explained in the following detail description of certain structures chosen as representative examples. Skilled persons will understand that many variations may be made, and I contemplate the employment of any structures that are properly within the scope of the appended claims. I

In the drawings- Fig i is a pers ective view of a combined marker and chec er, embodying the inventies in ens form, applied a; a fabric;

aabsaneni fla, assessa-jawsirand;

like a'psir of pliers to spread-the are then permitted to "converge a d g p semi-any ave se -operaiea The combined .f'orms illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 ierpreferabi inade of a" eagle "piece or resilient sheet metal, such as'brass or copper; It inc d These tops, which "force fab ric v vit hout injiiry into the apertures or sockets, and grip "t so tiglitly. as to prevent 1' accidental displacement. The jaws'arealso formed'with 'tither la pei'tures 6, each terminating at chasm fi a soc'ket The aperturesb pe rinit tli'e' 'in- 'sertion into thesockets of t I A. I he mes-er special spreading tool, which -is manipulated a fabric is-plac'd between them' laundering the marker removed 'by siib- In suitable else-es, "such as race of one or both jaws 1, 2, an identifv "manners;

One of the jaws, such as 2, has an integral lateral check extension 10, large enough for the formation therein of anopening 11, to receive a key 12 Fig, 2, which shows a number of the markers strung on the key. The

enter and inthe identifying numbers 8 of all these markers are the same, and the key is provided with distinctively arranged ribs 13 or otherwise formed to cooperate with a corresponding configuration consisting in this example of configuration oil the check-apertures 1l, this slots 14 corresponding to the 1 key-ribs. v

This rib and slot, or other'analogous mode of key and check-aperture configuration, provides for almost unlimited permutations,

a difi'erent cooperation formation being provided for each key and its set of identically numbered markers,- so that the sort-er need depend as enly as a guide tethe' particular sorting compartment at which the appropriate key is located, and then when placing the fabric in thecompartment the check-opening 11 of the marker is passed over the key, and the fitting of the key shows that the identification of the garment or fabric is correct, and failure to fit shows that an error has been made, which isthen corrected by re-inspection of the identificaways.

tion number.

The marker may be located on a fabric as shown in Fig. 1, or preferably may be placed in fuller engagement with the fabric so that the marker and its integral check are substantially entirely located within the limits of the fabric, and there is no projecting part of consequence to catch in laundry machinery or cause trouble in other Similar annoyances from loosely connected checks, as where safety-pin attach.- ments are used (referred to above) are also avoided. The check-portion lies smooth and flat in line with one of the jaws against one face of the fabric. The device is probably of maximum simplicity and low cost fora combined marker and check arranged for ready attachment and removal in the manner described.

Fig. 4c shows a modification in which the combined check and marker consists of a single flat piece of sheet metal, 20, which may be rectangular as shown, or of other suitable shape. The check opening 11 is formed centrally in the marker, and has keycorrespondingslots l4 and an identifying number 8, as in the previous example. The marker also has a plurality'of small threadholes 21, located near the corners, or else Where, so that suitable means such as a sewing machine or hand needle may be used to secure the marker to a garment or fabric by a thread or threads passed through the holes 21. The marker is easily removed by breakin 'the thread.

' Tn the variation shown in Fig. 5 prongs 30 are provided, which may be stamped and bent up from the body of the marker, and which are stuck through a fabric and clinched to hold the marker in place. This attachment means may be employed for many classes of laundry pieces which are not appreciably injured by perforation or thread-displacement caused by the prongs.

I claim:

1. A marker-check for purposes described, comprising a substantially flat body of moderate thickness havingintegral rigid 'means for attachment to a laundry-piece and also having formed therein a checkperforation configurated to match a certain key.

2. A marker-check for laundry compri ing a body provided with integral means for attachment to a laundry piece, said body being provided with an integral lateral Xtnsion at one side having a perforation therein bounded entirely by rigid immovable walls integral wlth the body and one or more of said walls being provided with a ward configured to match a certain key.

3. A marker-check for laundry comprising an intermediately bent strip of flat spring metal having fiat members with a clear space between them and'provided with nor.- mally closed jaws continuing therefrom, one of said jaws being formed with integral inwardly extending projections, the other jaw EDWIN LANE.

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